Post navigation

Ibn Mubaarak and the Barkat of Halaal Food

Most Muslims must have heard the name of the illustrious Saint, Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mubaarak (rahmatullah alayh). His father, Mubaarak, was the slave of the Qaadhi of the City of Ray. The piety of his slave had made an indelible impression o­n the Qaadhi who was a very wealthy and prominent member of the community. Inspite of high-ranking and elite members of the community proposing marriage for his daughter, the Qaadhi married his daughter to his slave, Mubaarak.

The Qaadhi Saheb too was a pious man, hence he made the decision to have his daughter married to his slave. Taqwa was the criterion for his decision. After the bride was delivered to her husband Mubaarak, the now freed slave, he did not consummate the marriage for forty days. Both he and his wife remained in Ibaadat for this period. Meanwhile Mubaarak ensured that he fed his wife with halaal tayyib food for forty days.

After three days had passed without consummation, his wife complained to her husband. Mubaarak replied: “Undoubtedly, your father is a pious man. However, he is a Qaadhi. I have doubts o­n the absolute purity of his wealth and what he had fed you. I desire that before consummation of the marriage, any mushtabah food which you may have consumed at your father’s home be worked out of your system so that Allah Ta’ala blesses us with pious offspring.” When the pious lady heard this explanation she understood, was overjoyed and she joined her husband in the 40 day I’tikaaf. Thereafter the illustrious Abdullah Ibn Mubaarak, the Imaam of the Ummah of the time was conceived.

This is the effect of halaal tayyib food. It is precisely for this reason that Allah Ta’ala emphasizes to His Ambiya the importance of consuming halaal tayyib food. In such food there is Noor which brightens the Rooh of the Mu’min. o­n the other hand, in haraam and mushtabah food there is nothing but zulmat (spiritual darkness) which utterly ruins the spiritual fibre of the Mu’min. Taufeeq for A’maal-e-Saalihah is negated despite the realization of the importance of such deeds and despite the intellectual perception of the necessity of righteous deeds. But, the weakened Imaan tarnished and damaged by haraam and mushtabah food cannot generate sufficient energy to fight and thwart the commands of the nafs to be spiritually lethargic and perpetually incline towards evil. Muslims should realize that consumption of haraam and mushtabah is not a trivial issue. It is a fatal poison for Imaan.